Microplastics have been found in all marine ecosystems, raising concern about their potential environmental impacts. Yet relatively little research has focused on surface characteristics, compared to polymer type. The aim of this review is to discuss the importance of microplastic surface properties and how expanded characterisation and more detailed quantification can aid in assessing their behaviours in aquatic environments. Concepts including surface roughness, formation of surface ecocoronae and sorptive behaviours of microplastic surfaces are discussed. To address these concepts, three exemplary methods are introduced and their application to the study of microplastic surfaces discussed with the following recommendations; atomic force microscopy should be explored for conducting physical surface characterisation and to examine surface roughness; double-shot Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy should be considered for examining microplastic sorption behaviours in multi-solute media; and finally, Whispering Gallery Mode nanosensing techniques should be explored as a potential means to generate data on microplastic sorption kinetics.

在所有海洋生态系统中都发现了微塑料，这引起了人们对其潜在环境影响的关注。与聚合物类型相比，相对较少的研究集中在表面特性上。这篇综述的目的是讨论微塑性表面特性的重要性，以及扩展的表征和更详细的量化如何有助于评估其在水生环境中的行为。讨论了包括表面粗糙度，表面生态冠的形成以及微塑料表面的吸附行为在内的概念。为了解决这些概念，介绍了三种示例性方法，并将其应用于微塑性表面的研究中，并提出了以下建议：应该探索原子力显微镜来进行物理表面表征和检查表面粗糙度；在多溶质介质中检查微塑性吸附行为时，应考虑使用双峰热解-气相色谱-质谱联用。最后，应该探索“耳语画廊模式”纳米传感技术，作为产生有关微塑性吸附动力学数据的潜在手段。